Significant Other

I'm seeing a lot of negative reviews from critics calling it a "waste of time", and audience reviews of 3/5 stars. But remember, people tend to dislike things that are different. And this film is definitely different.

As a Shudder user, I see SO many 1 star reviews of films that I LOVE, saying that they're "boring" or "not horror movies" (it got so frustrating, I stopped reading them). I've come to the conclusion that the average mainstream-movie watching person only defines a "horror movie" as one with a monster/demon/ghost/psycho killer, 90 minutes of interchangeable jump scares (usually of the antagonist appearing BEHIND the characters where only the audience can see), and a high body count.

So brilliant films like Garland's Annihilation, Strickland's In Fabric, Benson & Moorhead's Resolution, or in this case, Olsen & Berk's Significant Other, get passed up because they aren't understood, and therefore raves about, by the casual movie-going, mainstream majority.

I loved this film because it had all of the criteria you'd hope for in the ever-evolving horror genre... tension, suspense, atmosphere, a fitting score, and even a twist you don't see coming. Just because there aren't gory kill scenes every 7-10 minutes by some grotesque creature does NOT disqualify a film from being classified as horror.

So if you truly appreciate horror as an artistic form of film art, something that can make you feel unease and suspense while making you think, then give this a shot and form your own opinion. Fans of horror films like Pontypool, Braid, Hereditary, Come True, or any of the aforementioned films will definitely love and appreciate this one.

I won't overuse the term slow burn, but I will say the last 45 minutes are quite a surprise based on the first 45. Maika Monroe is very talented and Jake Lacy gives off Ben Affleck vibes in this short solid film. I am a sucker for films in this genre. I don't want to say what that genre is or name other films like it because I would have to mark this review as containing spoilers, but it makes for a film with some great twists.

It tries and somewhat succeeds on being a mediation about the meaning of love and if that sounds a little boring and cerebral, trust me, it isn't. In the second half you will laugh and gasp and probably be very glad you stuck with the story.

Nothing great, but pretty solid entertainment, that at the end of the day, feels like a setup for a bigger and better sequel. It may be praise enough to simply say, I hope I am right about the sequel.

Ruth and Harry venture into the woods for a bit of a ramble, although if they knew what was ahead I'm sure they wouldn't have taken such a gamble, especially as Ruth has some serious anxiety that she struggles to overcome, and often relies on pills to stop the depth of her despairing, downward plumb, all brought about because of a traumatic childhood, that to this day leaves her confused and misunderstood, as she knows that people can change, their emotions and personalities can range, one minute this, the next minute that, sometimes calm and caring, the next getting ready for combat and overbearing. Suffice to say the lovers walk on the wild side reveals more about themselves than they could ever have imagined.

Interesting concept that is kept mysterious in previews, but quickly spoils the overall concept in the first 10 minutes (or suggests it loudly). Still, there is a mild edge as we try to understand what is happening. After things are clear on the plot, this turns into a mind game psychological thriller. But it lacks enough tension to be a thriller. Maika Moore and Jake Lacy play off each other well, making their couple in tension highly believable. But, the movie overall boils down to a very small point, and this was underwhelming for me. The movie is less mysterious when watching than what the previews suggest leaving a horror and thriller fan disappointed.

This is my first review, and after watching this movie, I just had to write something about ratings in general. Yes, 7 to 10 is considered the standard rating for a "good" movie, but there are multiple brilliant productions that are hiding in the 5 to 6 rating, that really don't deserve to be marked by that. This is one of those movies. My message, to whom ever is reading this, is really; don't reject a movie based on the rating by default. There are more entertainment hiding in the average shadows. The actors are really satisfying to watch, and combined with a fresh storyline, and paradoxical mix of thrill and comedy, this movie is one I will recommend.